BROOKLYN CENTER, Minn. — One year after boys volleyball failed to get enough votes to become a sanctioned sport, the Minnesota State High School League passed a proposal to officially sanction the sport in schools across the state.
At a meeting of the 48-member MSHSL Representative Assembly Tuesday, 39 members voted to make volleyball a sanctioned, interscholastic sport beginning in the 2024-2025 school year, passing the two-thirds majority requirement.
While many schools have had boys volleyball club teams, becoming a sanctioned sport gives teams access to greater resources. The vote makes Minnesota the 25th state to sanction boys volleyball.
“The official sanctioning of boys high school volleyball is a monumental moment in Minnesota State High School League (MSHSL) history," the Minnesota Boys High School Volleyball Association said in a statement. "We would like to thank the MSHSL, the school and administrative leadership who signed the proposal, those who spoke on behalf of their districts, and all who have supported this mission from the very beginning."
The MBHSVA has organized boys volleyball since 2018.
“This is another milestone day in the League’s rich history of supporting member schools and their students,” said Board of Directors President Troy Stein, who is also the activities director at Edina High School. “The Representative Assembly was very reflective and thorough in their consideration of the proposed bylaw amendments that were before them today.”
A path to sanction boys volleyball has been in motion since last year. Following the failed vote, the MSHSL created an "Adoption of Programs Task Force," which was "tasked to review and outline processes and pathways for emerging activities and sports," according to the organization.
The task force developed an "emerging status" pathway for up-and-coming activities, which was then granted to boys volleyball for the 2023-24 school year.
Currently, nearly 2,000 students from 183 teams and 72 schools play boys volleyball in Minnesota, according to the MSHSL. In its debut year, the sport had about 400 participants.
In Minnesota, 56% of boys volleyball players identify as people of color, and 91% do not participate in any other spring sports.
Moving forward, the MSHSL, Boys HS Volleyball Association, member schools and other professional stakeholders will work to determine when volleyball competition season will take place.
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